Sheet-delivery mechanism for printing-presses.



G. A. FRIESS.. SHEET DELIVERY MECHANISM FOR PRINTING PRESS APPLICATION FILED NOV. 23. 1916.

Patented Jan. 8, 1918.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 1- G. -A. FRIESS. SHEET DELIVERY MECHANISM FOR PRINTING PRESSES.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 23. l9l6- Patented Jan. 8, 1918.

5 SHEETSSHEET 2.

G. A. FRIESS. SHEET DELIVERY MECHANISM FOR PRINTING PRESSES. APPLICATION FILED NOV. 23. I916.

1252161 5 SHEETS-SHEET a Patented J an. 8, 1918.

1918. 5 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

Patented Jan. 8

G. A. FRIESS. SHEET DELIVERY MECHANISM FOR PRINTING PRESSES.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 23. 1916.

Patented Jan. 8,1918.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 5 APPLICATION FILED NOV. 23, 1916.

G A FRIESS SHEETDELIVERY MECHANISM FOR PRINTING PRESSES.

GUSTAV A. rain-es, or CHICAGO, rumors. i

' SHEET-DELIVERY IV IECHANISM FOB PEINTING-PBESSES.

To all whom iii-may concern: 7

Be it known that I, GUSTAV A. Finnss, subject of the Emperor of Germany, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inSheet-Delivery Mechanism for Printing-Presses; and I do hereby declare the followingto be a full,

clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will'enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same ihis invention relates to improvements in printing presses, and more particularly to improvements in sheet-delivery mechanism for printing presses.

The invention ha for its main object to 7 provide sheet-delivery mechanismfor printing presses which will depositsheets successively upon a support therefor in such a manner as to cause one edge of the sheet to first contact with the stack to be followed gradually by the entire surface of the sheet, thereby avoiding the formation of air cushions between. the sheets whereby the latter may become displaced and form anirregular stack.

The present invention relates more particularly to specific improvements in and about the'construction illustrated and de-v scribed in my copending application for Letters Patent Ser. No. 88822 filed April 4, 1916. The general objects of the present invention are the same as those of the invention disclosed in said copending application, and the specific objects'of the present invention relate more particularly to the specific details of construction differentiating-it from the aforesaid earlier invention whereby certain new andusefulresults are obtained. and will be easily understood from the following specification.

Themventlon consists in the features of construction and combinations of parts hereinafter fully described and claimed. 1

In the accompanying drawings illustrat-- ing asuitable embodiment of the .inventioni Figure 1 is atop plan view. partly in section of a printing press equipped with sheet delivery mechamsm constructed inaccordance with my invention.

Fig -2- is a vertical longitudinal section of the same on, the line 22- of.

Fig. 1

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. s, 1918.

Application filed November 23, 1916. Serial No. 133,047.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary detail longi tudinal section of the same on the line 3-'3 Fig. -l is a fragmentary vertical transverse section of the same on the line 44 of Fig. 7.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary detail vertical longitudinal section on the line 55 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 6- is a fragmentary detail top plan view showing certain details of adjusting mechanism employed.

Fig. 7' is a fragmentary detail horizontal section on the line 7-7 of Fig. -4.-, certain parts being shownin elevation.

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary detail. section on the line 8-8 of Fig. -9.

Fig. 9- is a fragmentary detail section on the line 9-9 of Fig. 1-. 7

One of the principal objects of the present invention is to provide sheet-delivery mechanism for printing presses which in cludes means for'so engaging the sheet as to place the same under light tension by means of a yielding engagement of the sheet whereby it is drawn from the printing ele ments and delivered upon a carrier therefor and maintained accurately positioned during travel and so deposited accurately upon the support for the stock of sheets.

In printing on thin sheets of paper there is a decided tendency of the printed sheets to curl as they leave the printing elements, and such curling or warping of the same in terferes with their proper delivery besides resulting, frequently, in their becoming folded upon the stock.

Another object of this invention is, therefore, to provide sheet-delivery mechanism in which curling or warping of the printed sheets during travel is obviated.

Another object of the present invention is to provide sheet-carrying means associated with the sheet-engaging mechanism referred to in the preceding paragraph which will receive and carry the printed sheets face up and deliver the same upon a stack in the mannerhereinbefore set forth.

In the accompanying drawings illustrating the preferred embodiment of the invention, 1 and 2 represent the printing and tate in unison to print sheets passing therebetween. Th cylinder 2 is usually provided with suitable sheet-gripping mechanism omitted from illustration, but-which may be'of the construction illustrated and described in my copending applications for Letters Patent Ser. Nosi 88,822"a11d"7'7,839,

respectively, and particularly adapted to the needs of the present construction. The sheets after being printed are stripped or raised "from the cylinder'l, by means'of the aforesaid gripping mechanism, and pass upon a plate 2 which is equipped with stripper fingers 2 ,1whichapproach, but do not" contact with, the surface of the cylinder 2. From the plate 2 'the sheets are delivered successively upon a'carrier 3 consisting of a pluralityof tapes or narrow belts trained over pulleys carried by shafts 4 and 5 respectively,v the latter of which is driven by means of a suitable gear including the spur-pinion 6. Theshaft a is jOUI'DHlOCTIlIl hearings in the side-plates 7 mounted upon portions of the frame ofthe machine and between which the several belts 3. are dissaid sheets and prevent movement t-hereof' relatively to the belts 3-dur1ng such delivery.-

The principal function of the belts 12'is, however, to prevent warping or curl-mg of the sheets by holding down the rising por-' tion or portions of the sheets carried by the belts 3. This tendency of the sheets'to curl or warp is only momentary after leaving theprlntlng elements so that it is unnecessary to extend the belts 12 over a greater length. of travel of the sheets than shown in the drawings. The pulleys 10 and- 11 over which the said belts 12 are trained are keyed to the shafts 8 and 9 respectively, being non-rotatable relatively to the latter, but longitudinally adjustable on the same,

i the direction of their adjustment being paralel with the axes of the cylinders land 2. Extending parallel with said shafts ,8 and 9 are screw-shafts 13and-17,.each of which is ournaled at one end in a bearing in'one of the, side plates 7, and at its other end in abearing 1f]: carried by the cross rod 15 mounted lIlltS ends mjsald plates 7. Each of the shafts 13 and 14 is substantially onehalf the length oftheshafts8 and 9 respectively, there being shafts 16 and 17, similar to the shafts 13and-1t, axially alined therewithand extending from the other side of the bearing 1'1 to the other of said plates 7, l

and being PPositely threaded from s id "Each of the pulleys 10 and 11 is provided with an annularly grooved hub 18 and 18 with the bevel gears 22 on' transverse manually operable shafts 23 ijourna'ledin bean ings in* bracketson theplates 7, bymeans of which the pair of shafts'13 and 14:, and

the pair of shafts 16 and 17 respectively, are

simultaneously rotated to effect an adjust ment of the pulleys l0 and 11 toward or from the bearings 14*. The pulleys disposed atone side of said bearings may be adjusted independently of thosev at the opposite side of said bearings, thus enablingsaid belts to be relativelyadjusted to effect delivery of sheets from the end-portions of the cylinders 1 and 2 in the event that said sheets are printed at one side of the middle portion thereof; this being frequentlyresorted to for purposes of economy, as will be readily understood.

The hubs 18 .of the pulleys 10 are of gl'eaterlength' than the hubs1'8 of the pulleys 11. i The former constitute sleeves mounted on the bushings 24 carrying the pulleys 10 and constituting the hubs of spurpinions 25. Theihub-members or sleeves 18 are rotatable onthe'bushings' 24, andare provided witharms 26 carrying studshafts 27 on which idle-pinions28 are rotatably mounted. The latter mesh with the spur gears 25 and also with spur-gears 29 on the stud-shafts 30 carried in the outer ends ofsaid arms 26." Rigid with the spur-gears 29- are rollers 31 having face or tread-portions 32 of rubber'or similar elastic material. The. said rollers 31 are adapted'to'be so adjusted inposition relatively to the surface of the plate 2 as to not contact therewith, but spaced therefrom a distance less than the thickness oft-he sheets so that "each of the latter will be engaged thereby and moved over the surface of said plate and upon the belts 3. Said tread portions 32 of the rollers 31 are rotated at a'surfacespeed which is coincident with the surface speed of the roller 2', andpreferably slightly in excess of the latter. Said tread portions are held firmly in" position relatively to the surface of the plate v2tby means of helical compression springs 33 each. disposed-between an arm34 carried by the member or sleeve'18, and anarm 35rigid with theslee've 20 on the shaft 13. The latter is provided with a threaded openiriginwhieh the threaded shank36 er-a hand-wheel 37 engages; said shank being also engaged with the arm-3 c so as to be freely rotatable relatively tothe carrier or tympan cylinder stripped from the latter, they tend to curl up and warp. As said sheets are relatively delicate and easily torn .or injured, they must be handled very carefully.

In order to facilitate stripping such sheets from the carrier cylinder 1 provide the latter with the sheet-gripping mechanism described and claimed in my copending applications for Letters Patent, Ser. Nos. 88,822 and 77,839. This includes a radially re- I ciprocable anvil member (see Figs. -8-

and 9.) upon which the forward edgeof the sheet rests and is engaged by the gripper fingers 30". The latter are springlield but actuated by means of reciprocal rack-bars and pinions described and claimed in the last-named copending application. The said anvil member'30v is provided with recesses 30 between the points of engagement of said gripper fingers therewith and into which the stripper finger 2 project to engage the under surface of the sheet as the latter israised'from the cylinder surface by the outward movement of said anvil member 30*. This movement also causes air entering below the edge of the sheet to assist in stripping the same from the cylinder, and this is further promoted by the rollers 31 which keep the sheet moving steadily until they are disposed between the several belts of the delivery mechanism- ,The shaft 8 is equipped with a sprocket 89 which is geared by means of a-sprocket chain 40 to the sprocket 41 on the countershaft 42' journaled in bearings in one of said frame-members 7, and in a portion of the-frame of the machine opposite the same. The said shaft 42 also carries a sprocket 43 geared by means of a sprocket chain 44 and a sprocket 45 to the countershaft 46. The latter is geared by means of-the sprocket 47, sprocket chain 48 and sprocket 49 to the drive-shaft 50. i

The shaft 46 is also equipped with a sprocket 51 geared by means of sprocket chain 52 with thesprocket 53 on a shaft 54 The. latter is equipped witha spur-gear 55 which meshes with the spur pinion6 on the shaft 5, and with a spur pinion 56 on a shaft 57. naled at their ends in bearings in the, sidemember-s58 of the frame of the machine.

Disposed to project beyond one end of the press-frame proper is a table or support 59 for Both shafts 5 and 57 are jourtheprinted sheets. Disposed at opposite sides of the'same are two guide-rods 60 which are secured at their inner ends tostandards 61 on the machine-frame disposed to terminate below the shaft 57. Reciprocably movable on said guide rods 60 are carriages .62. Journaled in bearings in the latter is a shaft 63 overwhich belts 64 are trained,the latter. being also trained over pulleys 65 on the shaft 57. Extending parallel with and contiguous to the latter are two idle shafts or rollers-.66 and 67 respectively, as more particularly shown in Fig. -5.

The carriages of the connecting rods 68 with carriages 69 rigid. with rack-bar's 70 which are slidable in guides 71 onthe'machine-frame at the other end of thQilatter. The said rack-bars 70 mesh with spur-pinions72 carried by a shaft 73, and said pinions in turn mesh with spur gears 74 on a shaft 7 5, all 'of said shafts being journaled in hearings in the frame members 58. The shaft 7 5 carries the spurpinions 76 which mesh with the spur-gears 77 on a shaft 78. The latter carries spur pinions 7 9 meshing with the segmental gear 80 on a rock-shaft 81. Rigid with the segmental gear 80 is another segmental gear. 82 of smaller radius which meshes with the reciprocable. rack-bar 83 suitably mounted to move reciprocally in guides on the frame of the machine. The said rack-bar 83 carries an anti-friction roller 84 which is engaged in the groove of a cam 85 mounted on the drive-shaft 50. The groove of said cam is eccentric to the axis of the shaft 50 and is provided with aninwardly defiected'portion 86 in which the roller 84 is shown to be engaged in Fig. 2-. During the engagement of the roller in this portion of the cam the rack-bar. 83 is maintained at rest for a very short interval, but during the balance of the rotation of the cam 85 through an arc of substantially three hundred and thirtydegrees, more or less, reciprocal movement will be imparted to said rack-bar 83,

and thereby to the rack-bar 70 and carriages 69 and 62 at intervals corresponding or syn-- chronized withthe intervals of delivery of printed sheets from the cylinders 1 and 2..

Journaled in bearings in the carriage 69 is a shaft 87 carrying pulleys over which the belts 64 are trained, the latter being also trained over the said shafts 66 and 67, and over idle-pulleys 88 carried by a shaft 89 journaled in bearings in the rockingzarms 90 having suitable pivotal support onv the frame of the machine. The said arms "90 are engaged with the helical tensionsprings 91 which are also engaged with a cross-bar 92. suitably mounted in the frame of the machine whereby saidpulleys 88 will serve to.

maintain the belts 64 taut.

It will be obvious from the scription that as the carriages 69 and 62 are foregoing de-x continue' to move at the reciprocated in unison by virtue of their connection with each other; the pulleys 62 and 87 will also reciprocate, *thereby'causing' the belts 64 to travel longitudinally independently of their" travehdue to their being driven from the shafts -57; -The' surface speed of the pulleys 65 on the'shaft 57 is preferably exactly equal to the speed of reciprocalmovement of the carriage 62 so that sheets received from the helts3 will 7 same speed due'to their-engagement with-the belt 64 andduringthe movement of the carriages62 -in the same direction; whereas, as soontas the said carriages 62 begin their reverse movement the belts '64 by reasonof their travel con-' tinuously in the same directionfwill effect 'a deposit of the sheets front-edge fir'st'upon the table orsupport 59, the belts64c being thus withdrawn 1 from beneath thef'sheets while'the latter remain at rest'so far as furtherilongltu'dinal movement is concerned.

-': It will be noted that the belts 12 are so disposed relatively toth'e'belts 3' that 'the'porportions of the latter are spacedjfromthe (ions 'of'the former opposing *the carrier same, saidspace tapering ol -contracting to-. ward the deliverypoint ofthebelts 3. The

taper 'of this space maybe adjusted by.

means of the belt tighteners associated with the belts 12;" Eachof the latter consists of I a threaded member integral "with a sleeve 20 and extending transversely thereto." The threaded member 93 carries an anti-friction roller 95 adapted to bear uponand-jdeflectthe belt 12' with which it is associated tofforce the portion-op: posing thereceiving part of the belts 3"to'1- ward the latter," as shown in Fig. 3.

.The belts 12 may thus be adjusted toengage the printed surfaces'fof the Sheets though their purpose is mainly to aid in holding the sheets against displacement on the belts 3 by air currents or other disturbing influences.

The rollers 31 and belts 3 and 12 have a uniform speed which is somewhat-greater than that of the surfaces of theprinting elements orspeed of delivery of sheets from the latter. and the relativelylight' frictional engagement of' th'e latter by said'rolle'rsand belts thus serves to merely pull the sheets straight without'fhaving any tendency [to pull thesheets from between the printing elements.

- The operation of'theinventionwilla ficatlon; 1-

readily' understood' from the foregoingjspeci- 'While'I have illustrated the preferred embodiment: of the? invention i-n the 'accompany- Y iing drawings; it-vvillgbe understood that the construction shown-land described may-be ch anged and varied in 1 details without' de partin from the invention as' defiiied inthe" appen ed;,claims.' r

93 engagedifn'a' sleeve 94' seae l I claim as my invention:

lLIn a printing press, the combination and sheet-carrlying means, ofa surface lnt'erposed' between with the printing elements the same, and sheet-engaging mechanism coacting with saidfsurface for engaging sheets delivered from said printing elements and deliver same tosaid. carrying means. "2. In a printing pressg the combination with the printing elements and sheet-carrymg means associated therewith, of a stripper-plate interposed'between said'parts over over the same and move them onto said car-I r1er. 1 4. In; a printing press, the combination with the printing elements and sheetcarry: ing means associated therewith,lof a stripper plate interposed betweensaid parts over which sheets are adapted to "travel successively; and a pair of fr'iction surfaced rollersassociated with and disposed said plate for engaging the upper surfaces of sheetspassing over the same and: move themonto sald'c'arrler. a

5.111 a printing press; the combination and; sheet-carry-' ing means associated therewith;ofia stripwith the printing elements per-plate interposed between said parts over Which sheets are adapted to; travel successively; and a pair of friction surfaced driven rollers disposed contiguous to and out of surface contact with the'sheetparryingsurface of' s'aid' plate and adapted to engage the upper surfaces of sheets for moving them over said plate and onto said carrying means.

press, the combination ements and sheet-carry.-

6.*-In a printing with'the printing el ing means 'asscciate'cltherewith, j of a stripper-plate interposed between said parts over succeswhich sheet s'are adapted to travel sively, and a pair of frictionsurfaced associated with and disposed plate" for engaging the uppe r ll r above said surfaces of sheets passing over the same andmove them onto said carrier an d gearing between said rollers and th'e-drive 'gear of the press for rotatingsaid rollersat a surface'speed not less than thewsurface'speed of the pr nting el'ements p '7. In? a printing s mea s e i ts ft e iewit at a tr e 0 v press the with the" printing elements and sheet-carry plate interposed between said parts over which sheets are adapted to travel successively, driven sheet-engaging elements associated with said plate for engaging sheets passing over the same and move them onto said carrier, means supporting said sheetengaging elements, and means for adjusting the position thereof with respect to said plate, said means including a spring for normally forcing the same toward said plate.

8. In a printing press, the combination with the printing elements and sheet-carrying means associated therewith, of a stripper-plate interposed between said parts over whi 11 sheets are adapted to travel successively, driven sheet-engaging elements associated with said plate for engaging sheets passing over the same and move them onto said carrier, means supporting said sheetengaging elements, a spring normally forcing the latter toward said plate, and adjustable stops for limiting the movement thereof in said direction.

9. In a printing press, with the printing elements, inclined downwardly away from the printing elements adapted to receive the printed sheets successively, means associated with said carrier for preventing curling or warping of the printed sheets on the carrier during travel, and means for maintaining said carrier continuously in motion at a speed exceeding the speed of delivery of sheets from said printing elements.

10. In a printing press, the combination with the printing elements, of a sheet carrier inclined downwardly away from the printing elements adapted to receive the printed sheets successively, means associated with said carrier for preventing curling or warping of the printed sheets during travel,

the combination of a sheet carrier Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the and means for maintaining said carrier, and

said means associated therewith continuously in motion at a speed exceeding the speed of delivery of sheets from said printing elements.

11. In a printing press, the combination with the printing elements and sheet-carrying means associated therewith, of a stripper-plate interposed between said parts over which sheets are adapted to travel successively, and a pair of friction surfaced rollers associated with and disposed above said plate for engaging the upper surfaces of sheets passing over the same and move them onto said carrier and gearing between said rollers and the drive gear of the press for rotating said rollers at a surface speed exceeding the suface speed of the printing elements.

12. In a printing press, the combination with the printing elements, sheet-carrying means adapted to receive sheets therefrom, and means for effecting continuous travel of said carrier at a speed exceeding the speed of delivery of sheets from said printing elements, of rotatable elements disposed between said printing elements and said carrier for frictionally engaging sheets to cause the passage thereof from said printing elements, upon said carrier, and gearing between the latter and said rotatable elements for causing the latter to rotate at the same speed of surface travel as said carrier.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

GUSTAV A. FRIESS.

lVitnesses:

M. M. BOYLE, J. J. YOUNG.

Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G. 

